Don’t you just love Christmas presents which last all year round? This Christmas I got an annual subscription to The New Yorker magazine.
This means that once a week for the whole of 2018, each time I open the letterbox full of unsolicited pulp: the Lidl update; The Bargain; Viva l-Festa tas-Salvatur booklets; Owner’s Best; I-give-Maltese-Private-Lessons slips of paper; Ngħallem-lit-tifel-ikanta-bħal-Joseph-Calleja slips of paper; and Ineħħi l-Moffa pamphlets (do you notice how they always smell a bit?); there will be, hurrah, at the very bottom of the pile, something that I actually want.
I am not exactly a big fan of American writing, but this magazine is exceptional for the reason that it has politics, social issues, art, humour (hilarious cartoons) and culture rolled up in one. So much so that you almost forget it comes out of the same country which has given us McDonalds, the Kardashians and Donald Trump.
I say almost, because in every edition it makes it a point not to let us forget the chaos this American President is causing. In fact, as I’m typing this, I’m also reading an article (the joys of multi-tasking) discussing the sudden rise of the word ‘fake’.
It’s one of those utterances that these days wherever you turn there’s someone exclaiming it out loud. If my memory serves me right, before 2017 came along, fake was mostly used for counterfeit money or for someone who is an imposter. Then suddenly it was linked to the word ‘news’ and voilà it started trending, together with its spin offs ‘hoax’, and ‘alternative’ – all championed by President Trump himself.
The New Yorker gives this explanation: “‘Fake’ and ‘hoax’ are the ‘abracadabras’ of the Trump world, words recited to make inconvenient facts disappear.” And it explains how consequently in politics, arguments, reason and evidence have been thrown out of the window.
“In national politics, you no longer need evidence or reason. You no longer need to make an argument. You need only to assert. If your assertion is questioned, you need only to repeat it.”
Which is of course a relief to read since, although far away from the US, we live precisely this reality:
Drilling lies is not a concept invented by Trump, nor by Joseph Muscat… It is a concept invented by none other than Humpty Dumpty
The damning EU report is just spin by that David Casa. The damning EU report is just spin by that David Casa. The damning EU report is just spin by that David Casa.
The policeman who beats his wife is good because he works long hours. The policeman who beats his wife is good because he works long hours. The policeman who beats his wife is good because he works long hours.
There is not enough evidence to press criminal charges on a clear case of corruption by a public officer. There is not enough evidence to press criminal charges on a clear case of corruption by a public officer. There is not enough evidence to press criminal charges on a clear case of corruption by a public officer.
There are grand traces of success in the American University of Malta despite its handful of students. There are grand traces of success in the American University of Malta despite its handful of students. There are grand traces of success in the American University of Malta despite its handful of students.
Drilling lies is the New Way of saying the rosary. However, this is not a concept invented by Trump, nor by our Joseph Muscat or his best mate Konrad Mizzi. It is a concept invented by none other than Humpty Dumpty. Yes him, the Egg who sat on a wall, when he discussed semantics in Alice in Wonderland, Through the Looking Glass.
‘“When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean – neither more nor less.”
“The question is,” said Alice, “whether you can make words mean so many different things”. “The question is,” said Humpty Dumpty, “which is to be master – that’s all.”
Which I suppose works… until you have a great fall.
Yesterday marked the official opening of Valletta as a city of culture for 2018. The prestigious title had been announced in 2012 against the stunning backdrop of Caravaggio’s masterpiece, the Beheading of St John, in St John’s Co-Cathedral. I remember the day because I covered the event for the Times of Malta.
“There is the will, drive and ambition as well as the strongly needed esteem to make Valletta European Capital of Culture of Europe in 2018,” Manfred Gaulhofer, chairman of the selection board, had said.
Back then we had all hoped for six years in which culture would be given a huge boost. By culture I do not just mean the festa, the banda, the infiorata, the Scottish pipers or the New Year’s Eve celebrations. I had hoped that the seeds would be sown for new generations to be proud that for example we have Caravaggio’s masterpieces, for schoolchildren to go “Wow!” when they’re introduced to the concept of chiaroscuro.
I am not sure that that has happened at all. It looks more to me, that these were six years of planning for the opening night – a grand show in a city full of white plastic tents.
I’m all for beautiful, mesmerising, slick spectacles – God knows we need beauty around us more than anything else at the moment. However, extravaganza without any depth is merely reminiscent of Emperor Nero.
We must invest in culture long term, for only that will give us the richness of the soul which we are sorely lacking.
krischetcuti@gmail.com
Twitter: @krischetcuti